Two more killed in ‘gunfights’

Staff Correspondent |
Updated at 12:03am on July 17, 2018

At least two more suspected drug peddlers were killed in ‘gunfights’ with police in Kushtia and Mymensingh early Monday, the police said.The deceased in Kushtia, Shahar Ali, 38, of Mazampur area of the district town, was named in at least 11 cases while the deceased in Mymensingh, Noman Khan, 45, of Senbari area of the district town, was named in at least 14 cases, mostly of drug-related, according to police.With these, the number of deaths in the ongoing nationwide anti-drug drives rose to 188 since May 15, the first day when the first death of suspected drug peddler in ‘gunfight’ with law enforcers was reported.Most of the victims were killed in gunfights with police and Rapid Action Battalion. RAB began the drive on May 4 and police on May 17.In Kushtia, Shahar was killed in a gunfight between police and suspected drug peddlers during an anti-drug drive near a bridge at village Haripur under Sadar upazila about 3:30am, said Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station.He said that police also seized one firearm, three bullets and 500 Yaba tablets from the spot.In Mymensingh, Noman was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between suspected drug peddlers and police at Raghurampur under Sadar upazila around 1:45am when Kotwali police raided the area to arrest suspected peddlers and seize drugs, said Mahmudul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station.He claimed that two cops were also injured during the gunfight and police also seized some drugs from the spot.In Dhaka, the metropolitan police arrested 59 suspected drug peddlers and addicts from different places of the city in 24 hours ending Monday 6:00am and seized 959 Yaba tablets, 994 grams of heroin, 1.07 kilograms if hemp, 10 litres of local liquor and 29 ampules of injectable drugs, the metropolitan police officials said.RAB’s legal and media wing officials said that an anti-drug mobile court conducted by RAB-5 in Rajshahi jailed 15 drug peddlers and addicts and fined another one on Monday.